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I wake with a start, inhaling sharply with a sense of panic in my chest. And then my eyes land on Emmie, who’s sleeping soundly in my bed, and the relief is instant.

She’s curled on her side, with her hair half across her face, and one hand tucked under her cheek.

The sunlight creeps through the curtains, slicing golden lines across the duvet, and for a second, I let myself pretend this is normal.

That she’s here out of choice, and not because I had to rescue her from a drunken mistake.

I’d practically carried her back here last night, but we didn’t talk – not about anything. She spent at least an hour throwing up, with me holding her hair back and whispering words of comfort. And then she crashed on the bathroom floor, and I carried her to bed.

I sit straighter, and the armchair creaks, disturbing Emmie.

She stirs, blinking slowly, and then groans as the hangover hits.

I rush to her side, grabbing the bottle of water from the bedside cabinet and unscrewing the lid.

Her eyes narrow, trying to focus on me, and then she gasps and half sits, dragging herself across to the other side of the mattress.

“What are you doing here?” she cries, then her eyes scan the room and her brow furrows further. “Where am I?”

“My place,” I mutter, disappointed she looks so horrified.

Her face screws up as she looks at the bedding. “Oh my God, is this your bed?” I nod. “Ew, are the sheets clean?”

I almost smile, even though she’s trying to insult me. “Yes, Emmie, they’re clean.”

She relaxes slightly, then lifts the sheet. “Why am I in my underwear?”

“That was all you,” I tell her, placing the water down and sitting on the edge of the bed. “One minute you were singing Kylie Minogue, and the next you were undressing. I had to force you to keep that on,” I say with a small smile.

Her cheeks glow with embarrassment. “Which song was it?” she asks.

I laugh. “Can’t Get You Out of My Head.”

She winces. “It doesn’t mean anything.”

I nod slowly. “I didn’t think it did.”

“Why am I here, Kai?”

“Because I don’t trust Landon around you,” I tell her. It’s the truth.

She groans, throwing the sheets back and scanning the room for her clothes. I throw her one of my shirts and she glares at it with disdain. “You were sick on yours,” I explain. “They’re in the washing machine.”

She scoffs, “Don’t think that little trick will stop me leaving.”

“It’s not a trick, Em. Look, you want the truth, you can’t trust Landon.”

“But I can trust you?” she asks, adding an unamused laugh. “Seriously?” She tugs my shirt on.

“Have you slept with him?” I don’t want to know the answer, but if I’m right, this might help her to see what he’s really after.

“That’s none of your business.”

I still at her words. I thought she’d tell me straight that she hasn’t. But her indifference makes me suspicious. “So you have?”

“I don’t ask you who you’ve slept with,” she points out, adding, “Although, it would probably be easier to ask who you haven’t slept with.”

I shake my head, pushing to stand. “You have this impression I’m a man-whore, Emmie.”

“Aren’t you?”

I growl in frustration. “We’re not talking about me. This is about you and him.”

“You have no right to be jealous, Kai. We were over months ago.”

“I never ended it,” I argue.

She pinches the bridge of her nose and inhales slowly. “Why can’t I trust him?”

“He’s only after one thing.”

This makes her laugh louder. “Believe it or not, not all men are like you.”

“Again, with the man-whore references,” I snap. “Landon isn’t innocent. He practically told me that’s all he wants from you.”

“Was that before or after he called you out for being with another woman, less than an hour after you stood in the window of that restaurant, staring at me like I was the one cheating?”

I frown. “What?”

“He told me, Kai. I know you were with a woman. But it doesn’t matter, because we’re not together so you can fuck whoever you want.”

She turns, grabbing the door and yanking it open.

I rush over, slamming my hand against it and spinning her back to face me.

“I wasn’t with another woman.” Emmie rolls her eyes.

“Em, I wasn’t. I swear. The only thing I’m guilty of is drinking after I swore I wouldn’t.

I saw you both and it sent me over the edge, so I went to drown my sorrows.

It was him with another woman. I confronted him.

” She shifts, her eyes searching mine for the lie.

“It’s the truth,” I say, my tone serious.

“I was pissed he’d been on a date with you, and twenty minutes later he was sleazing over some other girl. I called him out and then I hit him.”

“Why would he lie?”

Her words are like a punch to the gut. “Why would I?”

Her eyes flick from mine and she stares down at her feet. “Because that’s what you do, Kai Banks. You reel me in and hurt me with your lies.”

I take a step back, nodding slowly. “I’ll give you some time to freshen up,” I mutter.

She steps clear of the door, and I head out, closing it quietly behind me.